title: Emphysematous pyelonephritis: an 8-year retrospective review across four acute hospitals.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To retrospectively review our experience of managing patients with emphysematous pyelonephritis (EPN).
  
  
  METHODS
  Case notes of patients with EPN were reviewed. The patients' demographic data, clinical presentation, investigation findings, treatment, and outcome were studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twelve patients were diagnosed with EPN. Majority (66.7%) of them had diabetes mellitus. All patients had been evaluated by computed tomography (CT). Using the classification proposed by Wan et al, five patients had type 1 EPN, whereas six, two, and four patients had Huang and Tseng CT class 2, 3a, and 3b EPN, respectively. Immediate nephrectomy was performed in six patients, whereas conservative treatment was adopted in the other six. In the nephrectomy group, one patient died of disseminated sepsis after a protracted course. Conservative treatment failed in three patients, who succumbed despite salvage nephrectomy in two of them. Analysis revealed that severe hyperglycemia and radiological CT class (both Wan and Huang systems) were significant predictors of mortality from EPN.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Severe hyperglycemia and CT class of EPN are significant risk factors for death. CT is the investigation of choice for correct diagnosis of EPN. Additional intervention should be offered to EPN patients with Wan type 1 and Huang and Tseng class 3 CT features.
authors.affiliation: Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
authors.forename: James Hok-Leung
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Tsu
authors.forename: Chun-Ki
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Ringo Wing-Hong
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: In-Chak
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Law
authors.forename: Chi-Kwan
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Pak-Ling
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Fu-Keung
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: Ming-Kwong
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Yiu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004646:Emphysema / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009392:Nephrectomy; D011704:Pyelonephritis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome